…Yes, and Han Solo is based on a cowboy archetype, but he doesn’t ride a horse.
Should the fact it’s not a direct representation stop a sci-fi writer referencing a Japanese cultural practice for their own purpose, especially when it’s fairy widely known that Star Wars is heavily influenced by old samurai movies and often described as a samurai western when it’s not being called a space opera?
Its just using an obvious source for inspiration.
Also, if you’re willing apply the Japanese philosophy of kingsugi to Thrawn then its usage also serves his character and troops a little and isn’t purely a design implementation intended solely to sell yet another trooper variant figure.